by Mark Silva
Retiring Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska says he will not endorse his party's presumptive nominee for president, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, but will be willing to serve on the Cabinet of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama should he win election as president, Bloomberg News reports.
"I don't have any plans to endorse any candidate," Hagel, says in an interview on Bloomberg Television's Political Capital With Al Hunt.
Hagel, who has called the war in Iraq a "catastrophic mistake,'' has bucked President Bush in voting with Democrats to set a timeline for troop withdrawal. McCain supports the president's war strategy. Obama supports a withdrawal.
Hagel is critical of McCain for his own criticism of Obama, with the senator from Arizona accusing the senator from Illinois of misunderstanding the war in Iraq.
While he has differences with both candidates, Hagel says in the Bloomberg interview that his differences with Obama are "probably... not as big.''
And, while Hagel has been mentioned as a potential running mate on a bipartisan ticket, Hagel says he would be duty-bound to consider any president's request for help - and that includes serving as secretary of defense for Obama.
Hagel considered his own campaign for president but instead decided not to seek reelection to the Senate.
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Comments
Senator Hagel is the way the GOP formerly appeared. They were a group of politicians, who, without hesitation, acted first in America's best interests, and, secondly, in their Party's !!! The Republicans, some where along their way, in recent times, strayed from the path of fiscal responsibility, state's rights and individual liberties. They now are the champions of the occupation and brutalization of another nation!! They have allowed Corporations to decimate the workers of America with loan-sharking practices from financial pillars of our community, to the refusal to allow our citizenry help in health insurance!!! They have obliterated states' rights, whenever it serves their political purposes. They have corrupted our government, planting ideologues and zealots to foster their selfish and anti-democratic agenda.
I do not think America will choose to continue on this path of an anti-democratic vision!! Religion is best practiced privately and not to be used as a bludgeon to whip the citizenry into a frenzied mob, ready to pounce on any American, who sees things from a different perspective, yes, even from, a democratic perspective !! Finally, we must decide, if America's business, is business, or is it protecting and serving all of her citizens!!? We are at that period again, in our history, were the claim can be and should be, made: No Taxation, Without Representation!! The Corporations have stepped in and have filled the British' boots. It is time for us, as a nation, to remove their boot from our neck, like we were forced to do. once before, in our history !!
That is where I see America today and that is why I see this up-coming Presidential election, so very important. It will decide whether America continues on its historic mission, a democratic beacon, or she slips into the role, of playing second fiddle to the Corporate tune !!!
Senator Obama is the more capable of leading America on her historic mission, while Senator McCain, through Senator Hagel's actions or lack there of, is not !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | June 28, 2008 8:38 AM
Chuck Hagel is a Benedict Arnold or a Jumpin Jim Jeffords.The people from Nebraska ought to ask for a refund from a Republican who wants to serve in a liberal Democrat socialist Cabinet. Obama is the number 1 farthest left Senator who pals with Marxists. Nice show Hagel. Why don't you go back to Corn Huskerland and shut the hell up. You are an embarassment to the people of the United States of America. Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | June 28, 2008 9:31 AM
From what little I know, Sen. Hegel is an honorable man who had the courage to stick to his convictions in the face of the Bush propaganda machine. Not an easy thing to do.
Posted by: davie | June 28, 2008 12:14 PM
From what little I know, Sen. Hegel is an honorable man who had the courage to stick to his convictions in the face of the Bush propaganda machine. Not an easy thing to do.
Posted by: davie | June 28, 2008 12:14 PM
I guess he feels safe taking his shoes off at airports evrytime he gets on a plane. I wonder do Senators have to take their shoes off like the rest of us.
We need to get every last one of the terrorists no matter were they hide.
If not one day you will see a mushroom cloud over some city.
If we fail in this quest were are DEAD. To bad Hagel is Obama as the better choice. I guess he never has to take his shoes off when he flies.
VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
ps Every time you take your shoes off think about who is REALLY responsible for IT.I Hate to say it but it is the MEDIA ELITE and their quest to destroy BUSH.
pps I wonder if Bill or Hillary Soprano have to take off their shoes when they fly ???
Posted by: VJ Machiavelli | June 28, 2008 1:29 PM